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Albion Online Mobile Development Interview

Albion Online may very well be the most interesting MMO of the year, especially considering the cross-platform functionality. Today we interview the developers and find out more about how the Albion Online mobile version is going to work and, most importantly, how WELL it’s going to work.

What devices can we expect Albion Online to run on in the future? What operating systems, platforms, etc. (More specifically, which versions of phones/tablets?).

Due to the game being made with a focus on PC, the system requirements for tablets are on the higher end of the spectrum and can be found here. Also, while the game technically would run on the highest end smartphones, we do not officially support this due to the small screen size.

How much of a difference are players going to notice in graphics quality, going from desktop PC to mobile?

Rather little. We picked a “mobile-friendly” art style from the beginning, i.e. clear shapes, colors etc. that work even on smaller displays. At the same time this style does not require a lot of resources, e.g. textures, and that is important because memory is very limited on mobile devices. On Desktop devices we can use more complex shaders, more detailed shadows, post effects etc, but overall the game looks the same.

Are there any major differences in the HUD/Interface between the mobile version and the PC interface?

The general interface works well for mobile and on PC, though on mobile, your screen shouldn’t be too small. The main benefit that PCs enjoy is the use of the right mouse click and of course hotkeys. In particular in PvP combat – which in Albion is somewhat similar to combat in MOBA games such as League of Legends – hotkeys and quick reaction times can be very important.

Are mobile users going to see features and perks that the desktop users won’t, or is it all going to be pretty similar?

The game’s features are the same across all platforms

What kind of data usage are we looking at for those who are on limited plans?

Data usage very much depends on the game situation. If you are farming or gathering alone somewhere we are looking at 5-10 MB/hour. If you spend your time in a crowded city it can be a multiple of that.

For users that have alternate devices, like the Kindle Fire, which runs a version of Android, will side loading be an option, or will Albion rely on proprietary Android software, such as the Google Play store?

Right now we only support side-loading, Albion is not yet available in the Play store. There is no final decision on this but if there is a demand, we can imagine continuing to support side loading-even after launch in the Play Store.

For those of us who have limited space, how much do you see Albion taking up? Will there be an initial client and then a longer download as with most mobile games?

The client is currently roughly one Gigabyte. The update process on mobile is still somewhat lacking but we are going to improve that in the future. We are naturally trying to keep it reasonably convenient and light for the mobile version

Do you foresee PC players having a significant advantage over mobile users in terms of PvP?

Yes, due to mouse controls being more accurate than touch, and because they can use hot keys. That’s why most people will switch to PC for PvP action, while often doing the quieter tasks, such as farming, crafting, trading or even PvE, particularly expeditions, on mobile devices.

What kind of movement interface can players expect on mobile devices? Will you be keeping the point and click (tap) interface, or will you opt for more of an on-screen joystick interface?

We will be keeping the point and click/tap interface on mobile devices.

As the game gets closer to completion, where are we going to see the mobile client? Will it be available through Amazon, Google Play, or the Albion Online website?

The Android client can already be downloaded through our website and is fully supported during our current beta test. Post release, the client will be added to the Google Play Store and the Apple App store.

Can we expect the mobile version to launch alongside the PC version?

The Android version is already usable alongside the desktop versions, and can be used during our current beta test. Play Store integration will happen post release – and so will the iOS launch.

We appreciate the time that Sandbox Interactive spent answering our questions regarding the Albion Online mobile client. For more information regarding Albion Online, you can check out the recent AMA they conducted on Reddit.

About Rissa Trent

Rissa grew up on a farm, playing shareware games like Wolfenstein 3D, Doom, Operation Comat, Solar Winds, and Kingdom of Kroz. Later she would dabble in Real Time Strategy games, and eventually left home to go on a cross country adventure of self discovery where she found out absolutely nothing. Today she works as a copywriter and games journalist.